Means for automatically controlling the operation of beer or other pumps and similar devices.



PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

A. C. GRISGOM.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OONTROLLIZ'IG THE OPERATION OF BEER APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 18

2 SHEETSSHEIIT 1.

WITNESSES: 5%

No. 818,686. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

A. O. GRISOOM. MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF BEER OR OTHER PUMPS AND SIMILAR DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HIIHIII "Hu I ,4. fi tLNVENTOR lzis Aflorne ALFRED C. GRISCOM, OF NEWARK. NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRISOOM LEHING MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y-., A PARTNERSHIP.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF BEER OR OTHER PUMPS AND SIMILAR DEV Application filed July 6, 1

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. GRIsooM, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ewark, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Means for Automatically Controlling the Operation of Beer or other Pumps and Similar Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for automatically controlling the operation of beer or other pumps and similar devices.

The object of the invention is to rovide means which are simple in construction and eiiicient in operation for automatically controlling the operation of beer-pumps and similar devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide means operated automaticall by the action of the ump for controlling t e motor through which the pum is operated.

In a more limited sphere of use of my invention the object is to provide a simple, eflicient, and inexpensive automatic switch for electric pumps.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter,

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, corhbinationflocation, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is a view, parts in elevation, parts broken off, and arts in section, of a mechanism embodying t e principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, showing the mode of application of a construction embodying my invention to the operation of a beer-pump.

In practical operation it is customary to employ air-pumps for pumping air into tanks, reservoirs, or the like contain'in beer or similar beverages or liquids in or er to deliver such beverage or liquid from the reservoir or tank in the basement, for instance, of a store or other place of business to an upper floor or other point for service to patrons. In the use of such a paratus it is particularly desirable to emp oy means whereby the motor which operates the pump may be so con- Specification of Letters Patent.

ICES.

Patented April 24, 1906.

905. Serial No. 268.587.

trolled that it will be put into operation automatically when the air-pressure in the tank or reservoir falls below a predetermined point and to automaticall arrest the motor when the pressure of the air in the tank or reservoir attains a desired degree.

It is among the special objects and urposes of my present invention to provi e a simple and eflicient controlling ap aratus which accomplishes these results, and in carrying out my invention I propose to employ, in one form of application thereof, an electric motor for operating the pump and to control the circuits of the motor b separable contacts, the separation of such contacts being efiected by mechanism controlled by the airpressure produced by the pump, whereby variations msuch pressure control the pumpactuatin motor.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, reference-sign A designates a motor which may be of any suitable or desirable type or construction, and B B the pumps operated therefrom. In the particularform shown, to which, however, my invention is not to be limited or restricted, I employ an electric motor, and I actuate the pistons therefrom through any suitable or convenient arrangement of earing-as, for instance, cranks on the cran -shaft Cfithe latter being driven from the motor through suitable gears D.

Reference-si n E designates the air-delivery pipe from the pumps to the tank or reservoir. At any suitable or convenient point in this pipe is a pipe connection F, leading and delivering to a chamber'G, in which is arupon by the air-pressure produced by the o eration of the pump. T e movement of t e diaphragm under the influence of the airpressure is opposed by a spring J, arranged to exert its tension on the op osite side of the diaphragm. Connected to t he diaphragm is a rod or stem K, so as to move therewith, said rod or stem being pivotally connected to a lever L, which is ivotall supported at one end to a bracket or ot er convenient support. At its other or free end lever Lis connected, by means of a link N, to the free end of a second lever O, the latter being pivotally mounted at its other end, as at P, upon .a slate or tablet R, of insulatingmaterial,

ranged a diaphragm H, adapted to be'acted suitably supported upon the framework of the apparatus. Intermediate its ends the lever O carries a pin or stud S, upon which is journaled a wheel A. The contacts B C are arranged in'the circuit of the motor A. These contacts may be of any suitable construction and material, such as is ordinaril employed in electric circuits. In practiced prefer to employ carbon contacts. The contact B is fixed upon the insulating-slate R, while the cooperating contact C is carried on a lever D, pivotally mounted, as at E, upon the slate R on the opposite side of wheelA from the contact C. A roller F is mounted eccentrically upon the face'of wheel A, so that when said wheel is rotated said roller will engage the under side or edge 'of lever D and rock the same, thereby carrying the contact C out of contact with its cooperating contact B, and hence breaking the circuit of motor A. The rocking or swinging move ment of lever D is yieldingly opposed in any convenient manner-as, for mstance, by means of spring G, the tension of which is constantly exerted upon said lever to hold the same in position for the contact C to make contact with its cooperating contact B, and hence to close the motor-circuit. spring H is connected at one end to the slate R and at the other end, as at J, to a stud or in eccentricall mounted upon the side or ace of the whee A, the tension of said spring being exerted to normally hold said wheel in an initial position with reference to its rota- Eive movement. The wheel A is so posiioned with reference to the pump-actuating crank-shaft C that when the supporting-lever O, carrying said wheel, is rocked or swung by the actuation of the diaphragm H the periphery of said wheel is brought into frictional contact with said shaft, whereby saidwheel is rotated. If desired, and in order to increase the frictional driving effort of the crank-shaft C upon the wheel A, said shaft .may be provided with a band orring K, of

leather or other suitable material, at the point where the wheel A contacts therewith.

The operation of the device wili now be described, assuming the parts to be in the po-' sitions shown in Fig. 1 and the pumps to be in operation being actuated by the motor and the pump-actuating crank-shaft rotating in. the direction of the arrow. Now should the pressure developed by the operation of the pumps become excessive or greater than required the diaphragm H will be operated against the action of spring J, and hence lever L will be rocked, thereby rocking lever 0. through the link connection N, and hence elevating or raising wheel A into peripheral contact with the crank-shaft C, whereby said wheel is driven or rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow and againstthe tension of spring H until the roller F is brought into engagement with the-under side or edge of lever D, whereby said lever is rocked against the tension of spring G and in a direction to carry the contact C out of contacting relation with respect to its cooperating contact B, thereby breaking the motor-circuit, and hence arresting the motor and also the pump. As soon as the motor stops, the rotation of wheel A also stops, since said wheel is driven from and by the motor. After the spring H has passed the dead-center line of pull thereof, due to its eccentrically-positioned point of connection to the'wheel, the tension, of said spring is exerted in a direction to cause said wheel A to continue its rotative movement which had been initiated by its peripheral contact with crank shaft C, and conse uently the return of said wheel to initia position is insured when said wheel A is moved out of contact with shaft C. It will also be observed that during thispart of the operation of the device the tension of spring H is acting in opposition to that of spring G, and hence the tension of spring G is in a measure counterbalanced. The effect of thus counterbalancing the tension of s ring G is to reduce the amount of wor quired -to be performed by wheel A in rocking lever D to effect a separation of contacts B C. It will also be seen that the power re uired to rotate wheel A is supplied directly irom the motor, thereby relieving the diaphragm of the necessity of performing this work, all the diaphragm is 'required to do being merely to bring the wheel A into driving relation with res ect to the pump-actuating crank-shaft. T 's I regard as an important and valuable feature of my invention and enables me to produce a device of the character set forth which is exceedingly simple and efficient for the purposes intended, the drawing in Fig. 1 i ustrating in full size a construction which I have found very effective in practical operation. When the motor-circuits are broken and the motor is stopped, as above ex lained, the further rotative movement 0- wheel A is arrested, said wheel remaining in peripheral contact with the shaft C until the ressure on the diaphragm falls to the proper imit by consumption of the air-pressure in the tank or reservoir or from other cause, whereupon the tension of spring J is exerted to again return or restore the diaphragm to its normal position, thereby making lever L, and hence depressing lever O, to carry wheel A out of contact with the crank-shaft C. The tension of spring H is then exerted to return or restore wheel A to its initial position, thereby ermitting the contacts B C to again malge contact with each other, and hence restablishing the motorcircuit, whereupon the pumps are thrown into action again. It may sometimes happen that when the pumps are suddenly arrested at midstroke or otherwise, a back-pressure effect is produced, tending to reversely rotate the shaft C, and hence also the wheel A, thereby permitting the motor-circuits to be again completed when the operation ofthe motor and pumps is undesirable. To prevent this action; I may, if desired, provide the lever D with a shoulder or detent (indicated at R) in position for the roller F "to snap thereover and which locks and holds the wheel A against reverse rotation. The circuit-wires of the motor are indicated at a and b and may lead to opposite sides of the motor,'one of said wires including the contacts B C in circuit therewith. In order to guard a ainst shortcircuits, an insulationfindicate at S) may be inserted in the link connection N.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, and is as follows, assuming starting that the parts are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, with the contacts B C closed upon each other and the wheel A out of peripheral contact with the shaft C: Now by starting up the motor the pumps are put into operation and air is thereby pumped into the reservoir for use. When the pressure in the reservoir exceeds the given or desired limit, the diaphragm H operates, thereby rocking lever L and throu the link connection N also rocking lever thereby bringin wheel A into peripheral contact with shaft This action places wheel A in rotation, being impelled thereto through the frictional driving contact thereof peripherally with said shaft 0. In the rotative movement of wheel A the pin or stud F, carried upon the. face thereof, is caused to be brou ht into engagementwith the inner edge of Iever D or with the inner edge of the detent R thereon, thereby rocking said lever in a directionto carry contact C out of contact with contact B, and hence opening the motor-circuit and arresting the motor. Should the wheel A continue its rotative movement through mo- Inentum a short distance beyond the point necessary to cause separation of the contacts B C and so as to carry the pin or stud F beyond the detent R, still the lever D will be 1 eld in sufiiciently raised position to maintain said contacts B C separated, by reason of the factthat after passing the detent R the pin or stud F will engage the inner edge of the lever D, and the radial distance of pm or stud F from the axis of rotation of wheel A is sufliciently great, as clearly shown, to maintain thevlever D raised throughout a distance of travel of said pin or stud be 0nd the detent R sufiicient to take care 0 any momentum that may be developed and to insure the maintenance of the contacts B C in separation. In view of the frictional engagement of wheel A with shaft C there is very little, if any, tendency of momentum to carry' or to rotate said wheel A beyond such position as will cause or enable or permit the contacts B C to close uponeach other until the pressure in the reservoir has been diminished to the desired or required extent; but should for any cause such an exigency arise the wheel A would only make one more rotation, which would do no harm, and then the contacts B C would be again separated and maintained in that relation by the pin or stud F again engaging the inneredge of the lever D. The motor-circuit thus remains opened until the pressure in the reservoir decreases sufiiciently for the diaphragm H, through spring J ,to rock lever L in the op osite direction, thereby rocking the wheel suppor-ting lever O in a direction to carry wheel A out of peripheral contact with shaft C, and when this ta es place the spring H returns or restores wheel A to its initial position, carrying the pin or stud F away from the inner edge of lever D, and hence permitting the contact C to again close u on contact B, thereby again completing t e motor-circuit, whereupon the motor again starts. up, thereby again actuating the pumps. The provision o the detent R insures against any rebound through back pressure or otherwise after the pin or stud F has passed beyond said detent.

While I have shown my invention as applied to the automatic operation and control of beer-pumps, it is obvious that the principles thereof are equally well adapted for general use. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted in respect to the use to which my invention is to be put. It is also obvious that many variations and changes in the details of construction and arrangement would readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact details shown and described; but,

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction em bodying the principles thereof and having described the pur ose, function, and mode of operation thereo what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a motor, a power mechanism operated thereby, a motor-circuit make-and-break device oper ated by the motor, and means controlled by the power mechanism for controlling the motor-circuit make and break device.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a motor, a ump driven therefrom, a motorcircuit ma e-and-break device operated from said motor, and means controlled by the pum for controlling the motor-circuit'make and ieak device.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a power mechanism, earing for driving the same including a sha t, a motor for operating said shaft, means arranged to be engaged with and disengaged from said shaft for opening and closing the circuit of said motor, and means controlled by said power mechanism for effecting automatically the engagement and disengagement of said shaft and motorcircuit opening and closing means.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a pump, a motor for actuating :the same, a switch for opening and closing the circuit of the motor, gearing actuated by the motor for operating said switch, and -means controlled by the pump for controlling the engagement and disengagement of said switch with and from its operating-gearing. V

5.- In an apparatus of the class described, .a pum a motor for o erating the same, a switc I for maln'ng an breaking the motorcircuit, means driven by the motor for operating' said switch, and means controlled by the pump for automatically rendering the switch-operating means operative or inoper-- ative as desired. V o

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a pump, a delivery-pipe therefor, a motor for driving the pump, a switch to control the motor-circuits, means driven by 'the motor for operating the switch to open said circuit, and

a pressure mechanism communicating with the pump delivery-pipe for controlling the connection of said switch-operating means with its driving power.

'7. In an apparatus of the class described, a pump, a driving-motor therefor, a switch for making and breaking the motor-circuit, a wheel for operating said switch, means for driving said wheel from the motor, and av pressure device operated by variations in pressure produced by the pump for connectand disconnecting said-Wheel from its driving means. v

8. In an a paratus of the class described,'a ump, a sha for driving the same, a motor or rotating said shaft, a switch for controlling the motor, a wheel for operating the swltch and a pressure-actuated device under the control of the ump for moving said wheel into and out o peripheral driving con-' .tact with said shaft. 7

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a ump, a shaft for'driving the same, a motor or rotating said shaft, a switch for controlling the motor, a wheel for operating the switch, a movable support for the wheel whereby said wheel may be moved into and out of peripheral driv' enga ement with said shaft so as to be ii i ven 155cm niotor, and a pressure-actuated device, underthe control of the pump for moving said support.

. 10. In an apparatus of the c ass described, a pump, a shaft for driving the same, a motor for rotating said shaft, a switch for control ling the motor, a wheel for operating the switch, a pressure device under control of the pump for moving the wheel into and out of peripheral driving contact with said shaft,

and means for preventing reverse movement of said wheel.

' 111'. In an apparatus of the class described, an automatic switch comprising separable contacts, a means for separating said contacts, including a rotatable Wheel, a spring having eccentric connection-with said wheel, means for rotatively moving said wheel againstj-t'he action of said spring until the dead-center line. of said connection is passed, whereby said spring tends to o crate thereafter to rotatively move said w eel to initial position, and. means operated by the rotative movement of the wheel under the influence of the driving mechanism therefor for separating said contacts.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, an automatic switch, including relatively fixed and movable contacts, means for yieldingly maintaining said contacts in contacting relation, and means for movin said movable contact against the action oi said yielding means, and. including a rotatable wheel and a sprin having eccentric connection with said whee j 13. In an automatic switch comprising separable contacts, a spring normall maintaming said contacts closed upon eac other, a rotatable wheel for separating said contacts, and a spring eocentrically connected at one end to said wheel, said last mentioned spring initially opposing the rotative movement of said wheel, but finally assisting the rotative movement of said wheel and -coun teracting the tension of the spring which maintains said contacts closed.

14. 'An automatic switch com rising separable contacts, a spring norma' y operating to maintain the said contacts in closed-relation; a rotatable wheel for separating said contacts, a spring eccentricaliy connected at one end to said Wheel, a ower mechanism for rotating said wheel, and means for automatically controlling the engagement of said wheel with its power-driving mechanism.

15. In an apparatus ,of the class described, a motor, a shaft driven therefrom, a pump operated from said shaft, contacts arranged in the'motor-circuit, a lever carrying one of said contacts, a pivotally-mounted lever carrying a stud, a wheel journalcd uon said stud, a roller mounted .upon said we1 and the motor-'clrcuit, a lever carrying one of said contacts, a spring connected to said lever and operating to maintain said contacts closed upon each other, a pivotally mounted lever carrying a stud, a wheel journaled to rotate upon said stud and having a roller upon the face thereof arranged to enga e the centact-carrying lever to separate sai contacts, a spring having one end connected eccontrically to said wheel, a pressure device controlled by the pump, lever-and-link connections between said pressure device and said ivotally-mounted lever, whereby said wheeFis automatically moved into and out of drivin relation with respect to said shaft.

17. ln an apparatus of the class described a motor, separable contacts controlling the circuit of said motor, a rotatable wheel having a pin or. stud, means operated by said pin or stud for separating sa1d contacts, means operated by the motor for rotating said wheel and a detent arranged to be engaged by said pin or stud for preventing reverse rotation of said wheel.

18. In an apparatus of the class described,

a motor, separable contacts in the motor-circuit, a rotatable wheel having a pin or stud, a

lever carrying one of said contacts and ar ranged to be engaged by said pin or stud to separate said contacts, means for rotating sa1d wheel and means arranged to engage behind said pin or stud to prevent reverse rotation of said wheel.

19. The combination wit-h a motor, an automatic switch for controlling said motor, including separable contacts, a lever carrying one of said contacts, said lever provided with a detent, a rotatable wheel havin means to engage said lever to separate sai contacts, said detent operating to prevent reverse r0- tation of said wheel, and means for automat ically controlling the rotative movement of said wheel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 3d day of July, 1905, in the presence of the subscribing wltnesses.

ALFRED C. GRISCOM. 

